C.H.O.M.P.S.
| runtime = 89 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = }} C.H.O.M.P.S. is a 1979 American comic science fiction family film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and directed by Don Chaffey, his final feature film. Plot Brian Foster (Wesley Eure), a young inventor, creates a robotic dog for use as part of a home protection system. C.H.O.M.P.S. is an acronym for "'C'anine 'HOM'e 'P'rotection 'S'ystem". Ralph Norton (Conrad Bain) is his boss, with whom he constantly argues. Foster develops a relationship with Norton's daughter, Casey (Valerie Bertinelli). A rival company wants the dog and sends a few petty criminals to dognap "C.H.O.M.P.S." Principal cast * Brian Foster - Wesley Eure * Casey Norton - Valerie Bertinelli * Ralph Norton - Conrad Bain * Brooks - Chuck McCann * Bracken - Red Buttons * Ken Sharp - Larry Bishop * Mrs. Flower - Hermione Baddeley * Mr. Gibbs - Jim Backus * Merkle - Robert Q. Lewis Featuring * Head Engineer - Austin Willis * 1st Engineer - William Flatley * 2nd Engineer - Dinah Anne Rogers * Reporter - James Reynolds * Storage Foreman - Joe E. Baker * 1st Hood - Phil Adams * 2nd Hood - Paul Nuckles * 1st Policeman - Baynes Barron * 2nd Policeman - Steve Mitchell * 3rd Policeman - Peter Griffin * Security Guard - Larry Easley * T.V. Newsman - Michael Rougas * Dog Catcher - Joe Hornok * Shelter Officer - Sheldon Konblett * Man at Wall - Joe Ross * Chief Patterson - Regis Toomey Uncredited * Henry Corden - Monster (dog) * Don Messick - TV Newsman (looping), Dog Snickering in Main Titles Background Joseph Barbera approached his friend Samuel Z. Arkoff of American International Pictures about his company collaborating with Hanna-Barbera on live-action films. Though William Hanna and other members of Hanna-Barbera were not eager to venture beyond the animation field, according to Barbera, Arkoff was enthusiastic about the ideas that Barbera presented, and agreed to do nine films together. Barbera's first idea was for a film about a super-canine, robotic Doberman pinscher guard dog which would capitalize on several ideas popular at the time. Barbera recalled that Arkoff's son Louis suggested that rather than a Doberman, the dog would have to be a non-threatening dog in the Benji mold. Barbera attributes this change in focus in the story to the film's lackluster performance at the box office. In his autobiography, Barbera wrote that the film "did okay... but it never made the splash it should have." Because of this, the future film deals between Hanna-Barbera and AIP were canceled. Burt Topper worked on the movie as producer with Barbera.Studio Seeks Rare Breed of Star: SHAGGY DOG TRYOUTS Harvey, Steve. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) Angeles, Calif 04 May 1978: d6. Critical reception On the film's release, Variety wrote, "although it features a cute canine hero, a pair of do-gooding young people and a bevy of silly-minded adults, pic has little of the action or charm that lure audiences." The review noted that director Don Chaffey "has done what he can to keep the pic moving given what he has to work with." Of the performers, Variety judged, "Actors are uniformly okay but there's really only one star in this picture, 'Chomps.' Benji he's not." Judging the film to be "unpretentious but slightly dismal in its execution", the Los Angeles Times wrote, "The premise is engaging enough to entertain dog lovers and kids for awhile , but the screenplay... is mediocre television sitcom fare and too thin to sustain an entire movie." The film holds a 32% rating on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. Alternate version A PG-rated version of C.H.O.M.P.S. was shown for a short time during the summer of 1979. The stricter rating was due to some language employed by a dog—not the title character. It was edited, with the canine profanity overdubbed, in order to receive a G-rating and released during the Christmas season. This version was released in the United States on December 21, 1979, opening in Los Angeles. Merchandising Scholastic Corporation released a 121-page book version of the film's story at the time of the film's first release. Home media MGM Home Entertainment (part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the successor-in-interest to AIP) released C.H.O.M.P.S in DVD format on April 12, 2005. References Bibliography * * The Hollywood Reporter, v.251 n.34, May 19, 1978, p. 19. * The Hollywood Reporter, v.259 n.37, December 20, 1979, p. 3. External links * * * Category:1979 films Category:1970s science fiction comedy films Category:American children's comedy films Category:English-language films Category:Hanna-Barbera films Category:American International Pictures films Category:Films directed by Don Chaffey Category:Fictional robotic dogs Category:Films produced by Burt Topper Category:American films Category:Films produced by Joseph Barbera Category:Films with live action and animation Category:Films scored by Hoyt Curtin